Piccolo or other musical instrument.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

APPLICATION I'lLED JULY 22, 1905.

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PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

H. BERNARD. PIGGOLO OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

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PIGGOLO OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATIQH FILED JULY 22, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TO THOMAS W. THORNE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PICCOLO OR OTHER MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5, 1907.

Application filed July 22,1905. Serial No. 270,868.

To all whom it may concern.-

,, Be it known that I, HARRY BERNARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Fort Sheridan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Iiccolo or other Musical instruments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to improvements in various kinds of musical instruments and in the method of fingering or operating such instruments. Its main ob jects are to simplify the operation of various instrumens and also to simplify and improve the construction thereof.

Musical instruments of the lateral-vent variety, inwhich most of the gamut is sounded through side holes, are as constructed at the present time ordinarily provided with a large and bewildering number of keys to be manipulated to produce the various notes. This multiplicity of keys requires long practice and skilful fingering in order to properly play on such an instrument. For instance, in such a simple instrument as the piccolo it is reuired that six holes and six keys be under t e control of the player. This of course requires double duty of some of the fingers and increases the difliculty for the player. The same objections are present in most of the instruments of this class. In fact, the prin cipal change in these instruments for many years has been the ad dition of more keys, more mics, and more ways of making notes witliout providing simple or eflicient controlling or operating devices.

According to this invention the scale is divided into semitones and a pair of such tones is apportioned to each finger, with an operative device common to all of the pairs and adapted to determine which one'of any pair is to be sounded, this device being operated by means of a group-changing lever used in the regular operation of the instrument, as in running scales, &c. By means of this device and system of operation it is possible to greatly reduce the finger-work and still give a chromatic scale of two octaves, for instance, in a piccolo with six fingers on six keys. A result of this im rovement is that no fork-fingering or si e motion is ordinarily required, and the keys may be made large and of such a size that a layer can readily use the instrument whi e wearing gloves in cold weather. On account of the equal apportionment it is immaterial where a group of fingers is laced; so if the instrument is made a little onger to allow an extra key the scale can be commenced at that point, and thus 'an instrument is instantly in either or Bl for instance. Also by shiftin the key mechanism up or down a semi tone or alftone difference is available. Thus the clarinet can be in C, By, and A. Instruments such as clarinets would require nine fingers to cover the gamut, while a piccolo, oboe, saxaphone, or similarinstruments would re uire ut six fingers. By the fork-fingering w 'ch is always required on these instruments in the third register the remainder of the usual gamut is obtained.

This invention is intended to be applied to reed or other forms of musical instruments, as well as those above referred to, and my improved keymeclianism may be applied in a large varietyof ways. It rovides for two octaves on any instrument y the simplest kind of up-and-down fin or motion in rotation in a re er and simp e order.

I have il ustratedmy invention in the. accompanying drawings as appliedtoh piccolo in a number of different ways and also to a bassoon.

Figure 1 represents a plan view of a iccolo embodying this invention, parts being roken away for convenience in illustrating. Figs. 2 and 3 are details of the dogs on the selective device. Figs. 4 and 5 are details of the keys. Fi 6 is a cross-section taken on the line 6 6 of ig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is an end view. Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified form of construction. Fig. 10 is a similar view fthe same device with the selective leverin change position and various parts omitted. Fig. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device shownin Fig. 9 with parts omitted. Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view on the line 12 12 of Fig. 10. Fig. 13 is a cross-sectional view on He line 13 13 of Fig. 9. Fi s. 14 and 15 are detail views of the keys an key spring and stop. Fi 16 is a plan view of a further modified orm of construction. Fig. 17 is a similar view with the selective lever in changed position. Fig. 18 is a cross-sectional view on the line 18 18 of Fig. 16. Fig. 19 is an end view showing the inner-tube-rocking device. Fig; 20 is a side view of my imapplied to a bassoon.

proved invention shown in modified form as Fig. 21 is a front view the same. Figs. 22 and 23 are details showing the valve mechanism. Figs. 24, 25, and 26 are sectional views on the lines 24 24, 25 25, and 26 26, respectively, of Fig. 21.

In one embodiment or arrangement of my invention (shown in Figs. 1 to 8, inclusive) 30 represents a piccolo of any ordinary or preferred form of construction provided with my improved key-operating device. 31 represents the selective lever or master-key which is connected or integral with the rod 32, which is carried in bearings 33 33 on the side of the piccolo and is adapted to rotate therein. The lever 31 is held in normal raised position by means of the spring 34. A plurality of keys 35 are pivotally carried on the rod 32, and these keys are individually held in raised position by means of springs 36. All of these keys, however, are controlled by the selective lever and may be simultaneously depressed by means of the do s 37, which are adjustably secured to the I0 32, these dogs being shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 3. A second series of keys 38 are also ivotally carried on the rod 32, these keys being held in normal raised position by means of stop-springs 39, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, this spring being provided with heels or projections 39, which prevent the keys from being thrown out beyond normal position by the action of the springs. 'l'hese keys are provided with overhanging projec tions 41, these projections extending over the adjacent key 35 in each instancethat is, the arrangement is such that if one of the keys 38 is depressed it will also depress its companion key 35. Of course each of the keys 35 and 38 is adapted to close a corresponding hole 42 in the side of the instru ment, such holes representing, for instance, half-tones. The operation as thus applied to a iccolo or flute is as follows: With all of the eys and the selective lever down the foot-note may be sounded. The lever 31 is then released, which opens the first key 35, which may be secured directly to the end of the rod 32, as shown in Fig. 1. Then by alternately releasing the keys 38 and the lever 31 the succeeding higher notes or tones may be emitted. time the lever 31 is held depressed while one of the keys 38 is released then after a note has been sounded with the key 38 up the next half-tone is sounded, when the lever 31 is released, allowing the mate key 35 to raise. It will thus be seen that by means of my invention substantially every other key is controlled by means of the groupchanging lever 31, which has for convenience been termed the selective' lever.

The same results have been accomplished by means of the modified form of construction shown in Figs. 9 to 15, inclusive. In ac- It will be noted that each eordance with this construction the instnu ment 43 is provided with a plurality of side holes 44, the alternate ones of which may be respectively 0 ened or closed by means of a slide 45, whicli is arranged in the guideway 46, as shown in Figs. 9 to 11, said guideway being provided with holes corresponding with those in the instrument. The arrangement is such that when the slide 45 is in its normal position (shown in Fig. 11) each alternate ole in the instrument will be opened and the intermediate holes closed; but when the slide is shifted the holes which were previously opened will be closed and the other holes opened. The slide is held in normal position by means of a spring 47, which is secured to one end thereof and is fastened at the opposite end to body of the instrument, as by means of a brace 48. The slide is moved by means of the lever 49, which is pivoted at to the instrument and is loosely attached at 51 to the slide, such attachment allowing for the free swingin of the lever and movement of the slide. The keys 52 are pivoted on a rod 53 and are held in normally raised position'by means of sprin s 54, which coact with stops 55, as shown in igs. 14.and 15, the latter preventing the keys from swinging out of operative position. Each of the keys 52 takes over and controls two of the openings 44, such openings representing, for instance, half-tones. The operation in running the chromatic scale is similar to that above described. For instance, with the le ver 49 de ressed and the keys down, releasing a key w' allow the corresponding tone to be emitted. Then releasing the lever while the key is still up will allow the higher half tone to be emitted, and so on through the scale.

Substantially the same result may be accomplished by the modified form of apparatus shown in Figs. 16 to 19, inclusive. In this case the instrument 56 is provided with holes 57, such holes being shown with two openings for each 'tone, this arrangement being advantageous, as it allows a larger openin without cutting away too much of the si es of the instrument and lessens the necessary movement of the inner tube. The holes are arra ed in airs, as above described, correspon ing with tones and half-tones, and the alternate holes (as represented by the double openings) may be opened and closed by means of the oscillatin inner tube 58, which is provided with oflset holes 59 for this purpose. The arran ement is such that when the tube is in norma position, as shown in Fig. 16, the alternate holes, be inning with the one nearest to the outer end of the instrument, are open and the others closed. When the tube 58.is turned, it brings the second set of holes therein to register with the corresponding holes in the instrument and closes the first-mentioned holes. This tube is shifted or turned by means of the lever 60,

which is connected with the pivot-rod 61, having a finger 62 on the o posite end thereof, which enters a slot in t e tube. This lever may be held in normal osition by means of a spring or the like. ivotally arranged on the rod 61 are a number of keys 62, each of said keys being held in raised position by springs, as above described, and each of said keys taking over or controlling two holes or outlets corresponding with two tones in the side of the instrument. The eration is substantially the same as for t e last-described modification, the tube being shifted to open and close the different holes in place of the slide above described.

A different embodiment of the main inventive idea is shown in Figs. 20 to 26, inclusive, in which my invention is shown as applied to a bassoon or similar instrument. In this case half-tones are provided by having two tubes of unequal length. 63 represents the shorter or straight tube, and 64 the longer tube, which may be, for instance, a half-tone lower than the first tube, the elongation occurring between the inlet-aperture and the first set of side holes 65. The mouthpiece or inlet-pipe 66 is connected with the tubes 63 and 64 by means of three-way valve 67, which is fully illustrated in Figs. 20, 22, and 23. This valve is operated by means of a lever 68, which corresponds with the selective lever above described. The valve is held in normal position, in which the openings lead to the pipe 64, by means of the spring 69, the lever 68 strikin against a pin-stop 70 on the valve-casing. ach of the keys 71 is adapted to cover two holes, one in each pipe, respectively, said holes corresponding with different tones-for instance, semitones. The keys are held in normal open position by means of springs, such as shown in Fig. 15, on the levers 7 2. These levers are pivotally connected in suitable bearings on the sides of the tubes and extend up to convenient points near the mouthpiece, where they terminate with suitable disks for engagement with the fingers. invention produces substantially the same results as shown heretoforethat is, with all of the keys and lever 68 down a tone may be produced through one of the side orifices by raising any one of the keys. Then with the key still raised, releasing the lever 68 will direct the vibrations through the longer tube and the corresponding half-tone will be produced. The whole scale may be run in a similar manner.

From these examples it is evident that my invention may be applied in a large variety of ways to various instruments and is readily adapted to minor modifications. For this reason and from the fact that the general construction of such musical instruments is This embodiment of the familiar to those versed in the art, I have not entered into the minute details of construction.

It is my object in this application to cover broadly the essential inventive feature or system which consists in combining with a musical instrument any suitable means whereby the fingering is simplified in the manner herein suggested and a large number of tones placed under the control of a selective device or master-key.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A piccolo provided with lateral holes arranged longitudinally of the piccolo, and a perforated slide having holes therein so spaced that in one position a predetermined number of holes are in register with a corresponding number of holes in the instrument and in another position the remaining holes of the slide are in register with the remaining holes of the instrument, and means for rapidly operating said slide in the regular operation of the instrument.

2. A musical instrument provided with lateral tone-regulating holes arranged in one line, and means comprising a perforated slide having holes to register, at times, with the alternate holes of the instrument while the remainin holes are covered, means for operating sair slide, and a plurality of keys, each key being ada ted to cover a plurality of adjacent holes 0 the instrument.

3. A musical instrument provided with lateral holes, and a perforated slide with as many holes as in said instrument, but so spaced that in one position half of the holes are in register alternately and in another position the other half, a spn'n for holding said slide in normal position, a fiver for reciprocating said slide to its adjusted position, and a plurality of pivoted keys, each key being adapted to cover two holes of the instrument, and means for holding each key in norin ally raised position.

4. A musical instrument provided with a plurality of tone-regu1ating holes for notes of different pitch, and means for simultaneously opening or closing sets of alternate holes in the regular operation of the instrument, and keys each adapted to cover two or more of the holes of the instrument.

5. A musical instrument provided with a plurality of holes for tones of difierent pitch, and means for simultaneously opening or closing sets of alternate holes, and keys, each key being adapted to cover two or more of the holes in the instrument.

HARRY BERNARD.

\Vitnesses:

Tnos. W. TI-IORNE, C. B. HINEY. 

